Marin Municipal Water District water conservation manager Dan Carney and a display of Toto toilets photographed at the Marin Municipal Water District headquarters lobby in Corte Madera, Calif. on Monday, February 23, 2009. less

Marin Municipal Water District water conservation manager Dan Carney and a display of Toto toilets photographed at the Marin Municipal Water District headquarters lobby in Corte Madera, Calif. on Monday, ... more

Photo: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle

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A dual flush Toto toilet photographed at the Marin Municipal Water District headquarters lobby in Corte Madera, Calif. on Monday, February 23, 2009.

A dual flush Toto toilet photographed at the Marin Municipal Water District headquarters lobby in Corte Madera, Calif. on Monday, February 23, 2009.

Photo: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle

Image 3 of 4

Buttons atop a dual flush Toto toilet photographed at the Marin Municipal Water District headquarters lobby in Corte Madera, Calif. on Monday, February 23, 2009.

Buttons atop a dual flush Toto toilet photographed at the Marin Municipal Water District headquarters lobby in Corte Madera, Calif. on Monday, February 23, 2009.

Photo: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle

Image 4 of 4

Efficient toilets, appliances help save water

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The company has a gallery in New York's tony SoHo district; one of it's recent releases is named "Gwyneth"; it has near-cult status among the eco-affluent (and Google).

We're talking about a toilet here.

Specifically, the Toto toilet - a water-efficient commode made by Japanese company founded in 1917.

The toilet's legendary power-flush engineering has garnered fans for decades. But water experts say Toto and others like it which use as little as 1.28 gallons per flush, aren't just novelties or stylish accessories: They're a key component of water conservation in California.

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Peter Gleick, of Oakland's Pacific Institute and the world's leading expert on global freshwater supplies, contends that if every Californian replaced their high-flow toilet, 40-gallon-per-load clothes washer and old, inefficient dishwasher, collectively they could save untold sums of water.

Other technology, from water recycling to desalination, holds promise as well. But everyday appliances still represent the low-hanging fruit of water conservation.

"We're faced with the reality of a diminished water supply in California that's going to force us to realize there are smarter uses of water available," Gleick said.

Using less water to flush is not a novel idea.

But as California struggles with an ongoing drought, crumbling water infrastructure and environmental restrictions on water diversions from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, water agency managers are looking for every advantage.

Many have tried to entice customers to swap out aging toilets or 40-gallon-per-load washers with rebates of $100 or more. These days, the customers are making the first move.

"There's an insatiable appetite for this stuff right now," according to Dan Carney, water conservation manager for the Marin Municipal Water District. "Because the technology is so much better, people are just thrilled."

Each generation has seen improvements in the amount of water used for flush toilets. In the 1930s and '40s, toilets used about nine gallons, Carney said.

From there, water-per-flush decreased to seven gallons, then five, 3.5 then to 1.6. While the low-flow 1.6-gallon toilets did mark a sea change in the bathroom, some of those toilets were known for requiring, uh, two flushes. The latest common toilet requires 1.28 gallons per flush. But there are already some that use just one gallon (waterless, or composting, toilets exist, too, but aren't as popular).

Most large manufacturers make high-efficiency toilets - Kohler, American Standard and Toto.

And while some buyers have been downright disappointed with clogs, high prices or even "fit," there are many low-flow toilet junkies out there.

On one Web site devoted to toilet reviews, a commenter wrote, "We just replaced two twenty-two year old toilets, which required 2 to 3 flushes before everything went down, with two (high-efficiency toilets from Toto). Is it possible to fall in love with a toilet? One flush ... gone! Clean bowl, very quiet, and only 1.6 gallons."

Frank Brown, who's been in the plumbing business in San Francisco for four decades, said more property owners are asking for low-flow toilets following audits of their systems.

"They say, 'The city has been out to my house and shown me how much water I'm wasting,' " Brown said. "They're concerned about the water shortage, and they want to keep saving."

Still, low-flow or high-efficiency toilets aren't cheap. Switching an old commode for a high-tech toilet costs about $550 on average, Brown said. (Fixing damaged flooring or sewer connections adds more to the costs).

In these days of wallet-watching, fewer consumers may opt to take the plunge, even with municipal incentives. Over the long-term, however, they may pay in other ways. If California's dry spell continues, for instance, many agencies may raise water rates.

That's when many more people may jump on the low-flow bandwagon, Brown said.